Joy Luck Trio to Present New York Debut Concert at Glow Cultural Center in Flushing

The Joy Luck Trio — pipa, erhu, and piano — makes their New York debut right here in Flushing, Queens: birthplace of one of their own, and the first American home for generations of immigrants who arrived with hope in their hands.

This is not "East meets West." It is something rarer — traditions in conversation across centuries, across silence, across everything lost and everything carried forward.

One evening. Three extraordinary women. Nine works spanning ancient folk melody, Hollywood legend, and a GRAMMY-recognized composer's newest creation.

The Artists

Gao Hong (Pipa) — 2026 Global Music Awards Gold Medalist · GRAMMY U Mentor Composer of Flying Dragon and Nostalgia — performed tonight in their New York premiere. Her album Symphony of Self was recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the United States Marine Band..

Karen Han (Erhu) — The voice behind Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha, Kung Fu Panda, and The Joy Luck Club. A musician who has performed for world leaders — and tonight, for you.

Donna Weng Friedman (piano) — Composer, pianist, filmmaker, and Flushing native. Her award-winning short film Never Fade Away — the story of her father's immigrant journey, brought to life through a waltz and a radio — is the emotional heart of this evening.